Raising our hymn of grateful praise.

Creed

The story of Creed II, the follow up to 2015’s revitalization of the Rocky franchise, really begins in 1985 when Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character, Rocky, met perhaps his most infamous foe, Ivan Drago, played with stoic intensity by Dolph Lundgren. The seeds that have become the Creed franchise were all planted in this fourth installment in Rocky’s story.

It’s in that movie that Adonis Creed’s (Michel B. Jordan) father, Apollo (Carl Weathers) was killed by the mad Russian in the middle of the ring after Rocky fails to throw in the towel and stop the fight. When Apollo fell to the mat for the final time, the conflict of Adonis’s life began to take shape. Apollo didn’t want Rocky to throw in the towel. He was done fighting, and fighting was all he had. This tragedy launched Rocky towards a fight with Drago, a fight that would leave Drago to a life of disgrace and bitterness. And this tragedy left Adonis not just fatherless, but also without any of the answers his father was lacking about life.

Creed II (2018)

In 2015’s Creed, Adonis had to wrestle with his identity as a Creed and as a fighter. What did it truly mean to be Apollo’s son? It’s a question he was asking from the beginning when Mary Anne, Apollo’s wife, told him who he was. It’s a question he asks every time he steps in the ring. By the end of that initial story, Adonis dons his father’s trademark trunks adorned with the Creed name, as well as his mother’s, Johnson. Through that first film, Rocky taught him how to fight, how to embrace who he is. Creed II, however, gives Adonis even deeper questions to answer.

If movie one was asking what did it mean to be Apollo’s son and a fighter, the sequel is asking what does it mean to be a father and a man? Rocky IV happened in the middle of a decade that was, in many ways, defined by toxic masculinity. The everyman with the heart of a champion from the Academy Award winning Rocky, was replaced by a greased up, steroidal version. This was true of some of Stallone’s most well-known roles. John Rambo went from an intense critique of our treatment of Vietnam veterans to one giant muscle with a machine gun. Look to other popular culture from the 80’s and you’ll be drowning in a testosterone tsunami. Raunchy teen comedies were a dime a dozen, and Hulk Hogan was flexing his way into a household name.

This was an environment where Apollo Creed thrived. He could prove his manhood with every foe punched into oblivion, but when we meet him in Rocky and Rocky II, he’s already a star in decline. How then can he prove his manhood? Based on Adonis’s age, Apollo’s extramarital tryst that conceived him had to have taken place in close proximity to his death by Drago’s glove. Still he stepped into the ring with the Russian. Sex couldn’t make Apollo a man. He lost to Rocky. He was outmatched by Drago. Boxing could no longer make Apollo a man. So, he threw in the towel on life. Apollo’s inability to find a manhood that was more than muscle gave Adonis a life without a father.

Rocky and Ivan Drago before their iconic fight in “Rocky IV” (1985).

In Creed II, we find that Ivan Drago similarly suffered to discover meaning beyond boxing. His loss to Rocky knocked him down further than we saw in Rocky IV, and because of that his son, Viktor, grew up with a bitter boxing coach rather than a father. Viktor is nothing more than a tool Ivan will use to restore his own manhood, to redeem his loss to Rocky. To truly win by the end of Creed II, Adonis needs to break this cycle of toxic masculinity. He has to find something beyond all the drills, the fights, and the bright lights of fame. He can’t avoid being a Creed, but he has to avoid being Apollo.

Not every punch Creed II throws lands. It’s not as ground breaking as its predecessor, but in the stories of this next generation of men there is something really special. If viewers can go along with Adonis (and Viktor) on this journey and reflect on what it is that could make him successful in the end, perhaps we can all learn from the mistakes of the past. The sweaty machine gun masculinity of the 80’s was a steroid-fueled façade. If men are going to fight the good fight of life, it involves humility, partnership with women, and profound selflessness. For Adonis, this is a painful lesson, but one that takes him beyond his father’s legacy.

The vast majority of white people wouldn’t identify as white supremacists. The vast majority of whites think white supremacy is ugly and unacceptable. It is also true that a significant portion of the white community does not have close relationships with people of color. Additionally, it can be easy for white Americans to see minority-generated art (such as movies and TV) and assume it is made for a minority audience and is not for them. But when we have few friends of color, and seek out little or no stories that are about people who don’t look like us, we are allowing our stories to be supremely white.

When we aren’t regularly seeing stories about people in different walks of life, we unconsciously think that everyone’s story is like ours. We become confused and sometimes angry about the way others react, or we say thoughtless things that we don’t realize are insensitive and insulting. The more we immerse ourselves in a variety of stories, the more readily we can empathize with people of color and think more effectively about our own actions and perceptions. Especially for people who are limited by geography and do not live in diverse parts of the country, seeking out the stories of others is a very simple way to broaden your understanding. If you were upset by the events in Charlottesville and want to fight semblances of white supremacy in yourself, here are some suggestions for movies and TV that you can watch in the coming months to help make your narrative less white:

Television

Queen Sugar

I think this is hands-down one of the best shows on TV right now, and a lot of us haven’t heard of it. In its second season, Queen Sugar airs on OWN and is produced by Ava DuVernay (director of “Selma” and the upcoming “A Wrinkle in Time”). It’s a contemporary story set in New Orleans about three siblings and their extended family, and their struggle to maintain the family sugar cane farm. The storylines and characters are very complex and the show does a fantastic job of addressing social issues in ways that nearly always feel natural and relatable. The first season is streaming on Hulu, the current season is available for purchase on OWN’s website (or on demand).

Black-ish

A sit-com on ABC, this show is funny and at times exaggerated while also addressing issues of race and socio-economics in poignant ways. It’s about a successful black family in the suburbs navigating the differences between how the parents grew up (in a poor neighborhood and a hippy commune) and how to raise their children to understand race in America in light of their current affluence. I appreciate that the show depicts a wide range of modern black experience in humorous and heartfelt ways.

Luke Cage

This is a recent addition to the Marvel universe on Netflix. Luke is a super hero whose super power is being super strong and bullet-proof (an intentional play on the vulnerability of black men who live under constant threats of violence). The show is set in Harlem where the community is being pulled in many different directions between crime and renewal. Luke is caught in the middle as he tries to protect his neighborhood against violence and corruption. The show is quite gritty and has some adult content, so check the viewer warnings and decide if it’s right for you.

This Is Us

This show was wildly popular so many may have already watched it. It’s a show that has a blended cast and talks about issues of race very thoughtfully. The cast is phenomenal and the writing is great. The family is predominantly white so for audiences who are unfamiliar with diverse narratives, it is a good entry point into more diverse entertainment. Use this show to start paying attention to how black characters are portrayed, how many scenes/lines they have compared to the white characters, whether they are portrayed as equals or as weaker/inferior, etc. The first season is streaming on Netflix.

Movies

Hidden Figures

This movie does a wonderful job of striking a balance between gritty realism and inspiration. Based on real people and true events, the film tells the story of black women working at NASA during the space race. It’s informative, it’s very engaging, and it’s appropriate for young audiences as well as adults.

Creed

I’m a life-long “Rocky” fan, and director Ryan Coogler does a terrific job of breathing new life into this franchise. Actor Michael B. Jordan plays the son of Rocky’s rival and friend, Apollo Creed. The film has strong black characters and explores powerful themes of family and hope. One of my favorites in a long time!

Get Out

This is a technically a horror film so it’s not for everyone, but I normally can’t do scary movies and I was fine. The genre of horror at its best is meant to focus on a social issue and magnify it through the lens of fear. (The majority of horror films fail to do this, so don’t hear this as a blanket endorsement for all horror.) Writer/director Jordan Peale creates an extremely clever exploration of the appropriation of black culture and black bodies. He reverses the typical trope of the black side character being the first to get killed off, and forces the audience to confront our perception of black men as aggressors. If you can hang in there for a few scenes of violence and some suspense, it will be worth it. Check out Ivan’s full review here.

Fruitvale Station

Ryan Coogler’s directorial debut, this film was ahead of its time in discussing police violence. Based on the true story of a young man, Oscar Grant, in San Francisco killed by subway security in 2008. The film tells his story and the events of his final day. It is sobering subject matter and simply shows Oscar as human. An early role for Michael B. Jordan, this is a helpful choice for exploring the topic of the relationship between the black community and police.

Please think about trying some of these suggestions, and please know that this is only scratching the surface. My hope for you is not that you will watch a handful of these options and then feel that you know all black people. I hope that this will spark on-going interest to learn more and to also seek out personal relationships with people who don’t look like you. This is one simple step out of many that we can all take to move towards being a more hospitable and unified country.

Note: I’ve enjoyed a few comedies, “Ugly Betty” and “Jane the Virgin”, which are Hispanic-centered. This is an area of American entertainment that needs to keep growing. Unfortunately there are very few options for Asian American media. “Man in the High Castle” on Amazon has one of the largest Asian casts out there, but it is also sci-fi and is therefore limited in its exploration of current cultural issues. “Master of None” (Netflix) from comedian Aziz Ansari is a brilliant look at first-generation children of immigrants as well as broader racial/social trends. (The show will be fairly edgy for many viewers which is why I am not widely recommending it.) As audiences our money and viewership matters and we can join with others in asking for more stories and representation than is currently being produced. Keep paying attention to how different people are portrayed and put your support behind art that is complex and equitable.

Well 2015 is in the past and I do feel like it was a good year for movies. It was at least the most financially successful year to date with a combined box office haul of over $11 billion. So here are my top ten movies of the year. The ones that I enjoyed the most, was affected by the most, or I thought were most important. But first, to ease your mind, here are the movies we didn’t get to see this year.

10. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

When tragedy strikes, people create mechanisms in their lives to make sense of it all. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl created an authentic and entertaining voice to this meaning-making process of struggle and grief. The characters were likable but flawed, they were relatable but unique. Overall, it was a fun and cathartic movie as the audience tries to make sense of the world through the lens of these somewhat bratty, creative, loveable emerging adults.

Dope (2015)

9. Dope

We all have categories or boxes that people put us into and we all put others into categories and boxes. It’s what we do as people. What I love about Dope is that it deals with characters that are wildly complex. I am a huge fan of writer, director, producer Rick Famuyiwa and, especially, one his earlier works, The Wood. Famuyiwa brought a similar tone and authenticity to Dope while asking questions about his characters and the world they live in that perhaps we should all be asking. And not just asking them of ourselves, but also in how we view others. I will say, even as I write this, I stand conflicted about this movie because there are a few sexually explicit and potentially exploitative scenes in the film. Hopefully, in a few years you can catch an edited for TV version of Dope so you can get the thematic weight without the, perhaps, unnecessary raunch.

8. Ex Machina

Where Dope asks questions of what does it mean to be categorized and stereotyped, Ex Machina asks what does it mean to be human all together. This movie is gripping and intense. As the tension builds, and as I wrestled with these larger questions of existence, I felt my heart beating and pulse pounding as if the film was trying to tell me that I was indeed alive. You can read more about Ex Machina in my review here: Artificial Intelligence and Isolation through the Looking Glass

7. Inside Out

Emotions can be scary. They can be misleading, they can drive us to tears, some of us feel like they have complete control over us. It’s intimidating and humbling. Then Pixar sprinkled their magic on emotions and makes them personable and fun. What I love most about Inside Out is that it teaches us that our emotions are ok and they are part of what makes us human. A lesson children desperately need to learn…and adults too. Go deeper into Inside Out with my review here: From the Inside Out

6. The End of the Tour

I wish The End of the Tour was getting more awards attention. This film almost convinced me to read David Foster Wallace’s 1000+ page master work, Infinite Jest. That is saying something as I am rarely ever compelled to read anything. Not only that, Jason Segal’s portrayal of the author had me attentively fixed on him during the entire movie waiting for what he would say next, hoping that answers to life’s bigger questions would come. If Segal’s take on Wallace was at all correct, than he was an absolute genius tormented by an internal war between what he knows about the world and a desire to not act like he knows everything. It left me feeling like in Wallace, who was gripped by depression, we lost a potentially great truth teller that our world could definitely use. Here was his take in the late 1990’s on the growing porn industry:

“You’re having a fantasy relationship with somebody who is not real… strictly to stimulate a neurological response. So as the Internet grows in the next 10, 15 years… and virtual reality pornography becomes a reality, we’re gonna have to develop some real machinery inside our guts… to turn off pure, unalloyed pleasure. Or, I don’t know about you, I’m gonna have to leave the planet. ‘Cause the technology is just gonna get better and better. And it’s gonna get easier and easier… and more and more convenient and more and more pleasurable… to sit alone with images on a screen… given to us by people who do not love us but want our money. And that’s fine in low doses, but if it’s the basic main staple of your diet, you’re gonna die.”

5. Steve Jobs

A lot has been said and documented about the life and business of Steve Jobs, but this film chose to limit our interactions with him to three intense, impactful moments in his career. This was a choice that I loved and as Michael Fassbender’s performance carries you through the film, I felt like we got a new, creative, and interesting take on a man many of us feel like we already know because we have his life’s work buzzing around in our pockets and purses.

4. Creed

I still can’t believe how much I loved Creed. I can’t believe how smart, sensitive, and engaging a film in the Rocky series can be after the pitfalls of the latter installments. I can’t believe writer, director Ryan Coogler is 29 years old. I can’t believe this young man went to Sylvester Stallone and pitched the idea for this movie, got it made, and inspired one of Stallone’s best performances in years. It’s all hard to believe but when that familiar Rocky score hits and his beautiful film is built up to it’s climax, you will believe.

The Big Short (2015)

3. The Big Short

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby came out when I was in college and like any young, college male I found it hilarious. Oh to be young again. So when I heard it’s writer and director was making a film about the economic crash of 2008, I did what Adam McKay had trained me to do at his work…laugh. Then I watched the movie and I laughed and cried and got angry and lamented. The Big Short is deceptively brilliant because McKay approached the film humbly out his own ignorance of the topic and desire to help anyone understand what happened. Match that humility with career performances from Steve Carell and Christian Bale and you get a huge payoff.

2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars is back, people! Weeks after I’ve seen the movie it still dominates my thoughts and conversations. I loved The Force Awakens so much but I will reserve the number one spot and a high grade for the movie because I believe and hope that there is still room to grow in this new trilogy. So I expect to love the next installments even more and I won’t let my fanboy emotions eclipse my number one movie that may have affected me on a different level. The Force Awakens is my favorite movie of the year, but that didn’t necessarily mean it was the best movie of the year. Read my spoilery thoughts on my favorite new character and the hope I have for the galaxy here: Star Wars: A Rey of Hope

Mark Ruffalo totally retweeted me. Not why I put Spotlight at #1.

1. Spotlight

On our honeymoon, Heather and I, looking to relax for a couple hours after walking around Portland, ME’s hills and bay front, walked into a theater and watched Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station. I left the theater less than relaxed. I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually wrecked by that movie and this year that same feeling happened again as I watched Spotlight. The film is about the journalists that investigated and brought to light the Catholic priest child molestation scandal of the early 2000’s. As I watched this very tense film, filled with great performances, I felt the weight of an entire city all questioning their faith at once. It was convicting, haunting, and authentic. I left the theater weighed down by the sin of men I didn’t know, but ultimately lifted up by a force that isn’t afraid to bring such darkness into the light.